Adil Najam
As ATP had noted in a blogpost on 21 June, 2006, Indians are laughing at Pakistanis. In fact, they are laughing so hard that the ‘world largest democracy’ just voted a 40-year old Pakistani stand-up comic as the ‘Funniest Man in India.’
According to a news report at rediff.com:
Pakistan’s Rauf Lala has been voted by an Indian audience as the winner of Star One’s popular comedy show, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge: Dwitiya. In a neck-to-neck contest, Lala beat Mumbai’s Rajeev Nigam to become Numero Uno on the show that has been making audiences roll with laughter for 18 weeks…. Among other goodies, Rauf also bags a brand new Chevrolet Aveo as part of the winning deal. Asked to comment on his victory, Lala — who hails from Karachi and has been doing stage shows for more than two decades now – says, “When my name was announced, I thought I was dreaming. I still find it difficult to believe. I am sure everyone back home in Pakistan is proud and happy….” Mumbai’s Rajeev Nigam was the 1st runner-up [and] had to say about him: “We are extremely happy that Bade Bhaiyya (Lala) won the contest. We never had any doubts about his capabilities and knew he was the best and the most eligible. To be honest, I would have felt bad if it were anyone else.”
It seems that the Mughal-e-Azam premier idea has now gone sour (also see here), but at least there is something about India-Pakistan people-to-people diplomacy worth smiling–even laughing–about.
Seen his perform a little but i have seen few others and they have done a great job.
The style has shifted from pure comedy to some stupid ways of trying to impress audience but by and large its okay.
I am searching for some vids on PAKIs in these programs.
If such things can help us learn coexistance that would be great. There are lots of similarities and we should build on them-this we can do with laughter. But there are lots of differences also and we have to learn to live with them-this we can do with cricket. The point is not to confuse being similar to being the same.
I am an Indian and now I am a part of ‘the human face of India and Pakistan’. I saw each one of the Pakistanis competing for the title, from start to finish. There is so much of similarity between our cultures and this can be proved by the way we Indians laughed together with Pakistanis. My parents came from Pakistan after partition and I hated the politics that divided us. Needless to say, I hated Pakistan. But over the last three-four years, things have changed for better. This wouldn’t have been possible without the role that Media played.
I just hope our politicians are observing these changes and realise that we are one beyond the boundaries!
I did read this last week when Rauf Lala came in the finals…Its amazing that he actually won…I would like to get my hands on the entire series…
Rauf lala has a background in Stage Comedy with Omar Shreef stage dramas like “Bakra Qistoun per” etc.